Tag: Devotional

“The season for your generation is almost at a close. I am about to fulfill what I have told you for thousands of years. You need to get serious with Me. Shake off all of those things in your world that hinder you from proclaiming My Word to those who are in need of hearing. Soon major events in My calendar will bring your attention to why you have been in training these many days. In your weariness, do not turn your eyes from My purposes for what is being accomplished in you. You have a part in what lies ahead. You are being trained for it. It is bigger than your small world. It is a piece of My world. Join hands. Join hearts with those who see as you do. Get ready; I am about to move!”

Gal. 6:9-10 AMP

9) And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

10) So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [morally] to all people [not only being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God’s family with you, the believers].

Heb. 12:1-3 NIV

1) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

2) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3) Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

It is so good to be reminded about the bigger picture. God is bringing His children home to Him, and then growing us up to do His work in these last days. He really wants us all to discover His purpose for us having been born. It is a fullness that is supposed to be a part of every believer and available for the asking. Once we find our place, everything fits perfectly. Even the strife and turmoil in the world is understood for what it is and why it must happen.

Remember what this life is really all about. Find proper reasons to do whatever you do. Seek the Lord as your priority. Rejoice that you are a part of His plan. Embrace the strengthening trials for His good. Allow Jesus to love you. Be free to love back. Soon He will be all that matters.

Show me truth, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“If I were to give an ideal profile of My true church, it would look like My Son, Jesus, with one exception. It would also be looking for My Son, Jesus. Jesus lived His life so that He would end up on the cross. Everything He did was for that one goal. His love, His devotion, His focus - all were heading to the point of His own death so that others would benefit. Your work may or may not cause your physical death; but your heart should be just as His was, heading toward the death of your flesh. That should be part of your purpose for living. I promise to help you with that. I love you too much for you to remain as you are. In the process of eliminating all fleshly desires from your life, I will also create a desire in you to look and hope for the return of Jesus for you.

"You have much to do with that desire being created in you. Some of you hope that He returns so that you can be removed from trial and tribulation. You will be very surprised when He returns for His bride. Others of you desire His return so that you will have your reward and can see My plan fulfilled for your good. Those of you who press in now so that He will return for a holy, loving bride - looking only for His desires to be fulfilled, longing only that He be delighted in you for His pleasure - will have your wish. You have the proper purpose for living. You have My heart. I desire that His joy is complete.

"I request that you crave for the same desire and cultivate a purposeful heart, one that is identical to His, while you have the chance. You will know Him as He is when He comes, for your hearts will beat as one. Become a study of Jesus now. Crave only for His heart. Live only for His glory. That pleases Me!”

 Matthew 25:1-13 NIV 

(1) “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

(2) Five of them were foolish and five were wise.

(3) The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.

(4) The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.

(5) The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

(6) “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

(7) “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.

(8) The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

(9) “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you.  Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

(10) “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.  And the door was shut.

(11) “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

(12) “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

(13) “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

 

Over the years, I’ve asked many, many people who study the Word about the above verses. In my asking, I have found the answers to be as varied as there are denominations in this land. Some feel that these verses have little reference to the coming of Christ for His bride in the rapture. Some say there is no rapture, that the verses are simply a story to encourage us to be better people. Others say that it is a perfect picture of the church. A growing segment of serious believers see the ten virgins as a very small segment of the church; that the verses refer to only those who have the single purpose of looking and waiting for the bridegroom. Even among those who are looking for the Groom, only half of them enter the bridal chamber because the others are there for the wrong reasons.

The most compelling verse is verse thirteen where the Author, Jesus, turns the direction of the conversation from a narrative to a direct, applicable statement for the listener then and the reader now. He says, “You keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

To me, no matter how the previous verses are interpreted and what they mean, this last verse warns me not to slack off in my quest for more of the Lord in any way, at any time. I picture Him touching one in the audience on the shoulder, looking in his or her eyes and pouring forth vast amounts of unspoken love, calling for his or her heart to be one with His, making His joy complete.

All of the surrounding verses are in direct response to their question about His coming at the end of the age. All are clear indications that the walk with Christ is no shallow commitment. All call for a watchful posture, looking for the complete fulfillment of all things.

Lord, make my heart beat in unison with Yours,

Jim Corbett

“I would like for you to remember something incredible. It was My idea to bring you to Me in the first place. It’s true. I was the One who initially decided that you would spend eternity with Me. Through Jesus, I determined that any separation that was between you and Me would cease to exist. Now you have full access to My heart. Some of you are misusing that privilege by consuming what I have done on yourself. Some of you have not really taken the time to fully understand what I have provided for you. You are so busy with your life that your future with Me is not worth your time to investigate.

"Then there is you, My true church. Wow! I love your seeking heart. I am honored at how valuable My Word is to you. It pleases Me to see you setting aside any time required to hear My heart and flow in My love toward others. I love Our quiet times together. I love the times that We sing together. I truly enjoy your company and am becoming impatient to show you the fullness of what I have provided for you. There is so much that I have to share with you. In the meantime, thank you for appreciating My Son, Jesus. Thank you for upholding and honoring His Name before your generation. Thank you for not denying Me when challenges come your way.

"Work hard for those whom I need to come with you when I call you home. Look to that time with steadfast zeal but be sensitive to the times. Don’t become so busy in your mission for Me that you change your focus from one of abiding and waiting, to one of busyness - even doing My work. Keep yourself attentive to what I am saying. While others are consumed with whatever is their heart focus, I want you to hear Me when I call.”

Zephaniah 3:17 AMP

The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy: He will rest [in silent satisfaction] and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing.

 

While I was writing this, I felt the most intimate moment. It was as if the Lord was observing all of us who call ourselves Christians. It was as if He was observing the different camps to which we belong.

There were camps for: those who consume - they were lounging around; those who strive - they were so busy that they had little time to receive anything He might pass their way; those who fear - they were walking around with their noses in books, looking for promises; those who were oblivious - they kept wandering around looking for food; and those who were so busy that they were unaware of Him altogether. Although His love was flowing toward all of the people in these camps, in my heart it seemed He was observing with a special interest a small camp of people who were - in the midst of their toil - intermittently looking up at Him and smiling.

They were going about their business of methodically cleaning their houses and planting seeds in their fertile gardens with great zeal, astounding peace, and continuous joy; but they periodically just looked up and listened attentively. Some stopped for long periods of time, just to enjoy what the Lord was saying. He in turn, joyfully gave great attention to them, sometimes even touching their upraised hands - like the hands of a small child who wanted to “go uppey” – reaching down to respond to their loving gesture toward Him.

He seemed overjoyed with this last group. He responded to all the needs of the others -  monitoring, directing, and implementing much – and addressed their needs in a very loving way; but it seemed that all the time He was doing this, a portion of His attention remained sensitive to those in the group who raised their hands to Him.

Desiring to want only to “go uppey,”

Jim Corbett

“When was the last time that you did something simply to bless someone? When did you give someone a gift that was wildly beyond the norm, and did it anonymously? When have you covenanted to pray with another until their need was met, and really did it faithfully? Let’s go deeper. How about blessing someone who has harmed you in the past, really blessing them? Or forgiving so completely that you have their best interests at heart every time you think of them. Do you know that the kind of life mentioned above should be the way you function every moment? It is the way that Jesus thought and acted. It is the way you should, too, if you say that you follow Him.”

 Romans 12:9-21 NIV

9) Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

10) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

11) Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

13) Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

15) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

16) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17) Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.

18) If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19) Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

20) On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 John 2:6 AMP

Whoever says he abides in Him ought [as a personal debt] to walk and conduct himself in the same way in which He walked and conducted Himself.

 

The world understands hatred, hitting back, and demanding payment for wrong that has been done to them. Just look in the Yellow Pages under “lawyers.” What the world is desperately trying to understand is the kind of love that Jesus showed when He walked on this earth. His love made the hardened soldier, who had seen daily crucifixions, say of Jesus, “Surely he was the Son of God!

I believe that centurion had observed Jesus before and was saying, “He must be who He has been saying He was. He lived and died what He preached.”

Our heritage is to live an honorable life with higher standards than even the most honorable person in the world. Jesus did; so must we.

Show me how, Lord,

Jim Corbett

“Watch the times and seasons and see how they are straining to fall in line with My Word. See how everything is lining up with what I have said would come to pass. Everything is in order. What should that tell you about your life? How should you be acting? You should be focusing on preparing your heart to see Me. You should be preparing as a bride. You should have oil in your lamp. Now is not the time to have a wandering heart. Now is the time to cleanse your garments. Become watchful. Set aside everything that distracts. Pay attention to My Word and My heart. Regain proper priorities.”

Matt. 25:6-13 NIV

6) “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7) “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.

8) The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9) “ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for us and you. Instead, go to those who sell and buy some for yourselves.’

10) “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11) “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir! they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

12) “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

13) “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Luke 17:26-30 AMP

26) And [just] as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the time of the Son of Man.

27) [People] ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, right up to the day when Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28) So also [it was the same] as it was in the days of Lot. [People] ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

29) But on the [very] day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed [them] all.

30) That is the way it will be on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

2 Pet. 3:9-12a NIV

9) “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

11) Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives

12a) as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

 

If something is said often enough by enough people, it becomes truth in the heart of the hearers. If that same something takes the form of a warning, and the fulfillment is long in coming, people stop hearing the urgency of the message because they have heard it so often. That is the danger that I believe is occurring today. We, as believers, have been told to prepare, look at the times and seasons, watch what is happening to Israel, Jesus is coming soon. We have been told it so often, that we almost ignore the continued warnings. We overlook God’s longsuffering and patience, and become weary in waiting. That is a grave mistake, which has an eternal impact.

Keep me focused, Lord,

Jim Corbett